Method and means for draining railroad ties



Jan. 13, 1942. w. A. M'oBl-:RLY 2,269,543 METHOD AND MEANS FOR DRAININGRAILROAD TIES Filed-Dec. 2, 1940 Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATESlPATENT OFFICE METHOD AND MEANS Fonl DRAINING RAILROAD 'rms William A.Moberly, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 2, 1940, Serial No. 368,152

s claims. y(c1. 23a-264) combined tie plate and tie structure in whichmeans are provided for draining water from the area of the tie below thetie plate and for thereby maintaining the wood beneath the tie plate dryand hard.

Another purpose is the provision of a means and method for preventingwater softening of the tie below the tie plate and for thereby retardingsinking of the tie plate into the tie.

Another purpose is the provision of a means and method for drainingrefrigerator car salt 'water or brine drippings from the depressionsmade by the tie plates, and for preventing the rusting of plates andspikes which would otherwise be caused by the standing of salt water orbrine drippings in the tie plate depressions.

Another purpose is the provision of means for maintaining uniformity oftie plate level along the ties upon which rails are mounted.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of thespecification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing where- Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, including a portion of arail;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3A is a similar section illustrating a variant form; and

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate variant drainage arrangements.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specication anddrawing.

Referring to the drawing, I generally indicates any suitable tiestructure, the top of which may or may not be dapped or surfaced at aplurality of spaced points, as at 2, to provide a uniform at surface forreceiving pairs of tie plates for opposite rails of a track, one suchtie plate being indicated at 3. In the drawing I have illustrated only asingle tie plate on the tie, but it will be understood that thestructure and the flat surface 2 are duplicated at each end of the tie,whereby the tie member carries a pair of tie plates 3, supported atuniform levels.

Each such tie plate has a central flat portion '4, adapted to receivethe bottom flange of the rail 5, the rail being positioned or centeredby one or two upwardly extending shoulders 6. l indicates apertures,herein shown as square, for

'receiving any suitable anchor bolts or spikes, or other securing means,which are effective to prevent mechanical wear by fixing the tie plateagainst lateral movement and preventing rubbing of the tie plate on thesurface of the tie.

I illustrate, for example, spikes 8 in Fig. 2. It will be understoodthat any other suitable securing means may be employed.

9 indicates square apertures for receiving suitable securing means, forexample spikes l0, shown in Fig. 2, for engaging the edges of the bottomflange of the rail 5 and for thereby holding the rail downwardly inposition against the tie plate.

It will be understood that wet wood is softer than dry wood, and that,if water is allowed to gather about or beneath or on the tie plate, thetendency is to soften the wood and to permit the pounding of the railsin response to the passage of trains to cause a perceptible andsometimes an extreme penetration of the tie plate into the surface 2 ofthe tie I. In current pracytice, if the tie is treated for example withcreosote, the controlling factor of the life of the tie is prevailinglynot the factor of decay, but the factor of physical wear. It isimportant that the surfaces 2 of a sequence of ties be at the samelevel. 'Iies are replaced in general not simultaneously but by degrees.Thus, in a given length of track of any particular unit or number ofties, for example, say, a thousand, only a small number is replaced eachyear. It is, therefore, important that the old ties and the new tiesmaintain a uniform level of the surface 2, and that any extremepenetration of any particular tie plate or tie plates into the tie beprevented, since otherwise the level of the rail is aifected, and highspots andlow spots appear, which cause the necessity of leveling ortamping. The old ties,

of course, have been subjected to more moisture than the new, and if themoisture is not in some way carried off, the old ties tend to becomesoftened, and the tie plates penetrate the old ties more rapidly thanthey do the fresh, hard, new ties, and an uneven alignment develops,with the above mentioned necessity for tamping, which involves, ofcourse, additional labor.

As the tie plate pounds down into the tie, particularly where the tie iswet, it in effect excavates a container in the surface 2, as shown atAIl in Fig. 2, which is ideally adapted to contain water from rains orthe like, and this water, unless carried off, softens the tie andaccelerates further penetration of the plate 2 and provides an everincreasing container for Water.

`new ties and to old ties.

Another condition rectified by my invention is the rusting of tie platesand spikes by the brine or salt water which drips from refrigerator carsand collects in the pockets formed by tie plates and stands there untilthe water evaporates. The evaporating water leaves salt in the pockets,to form a continually increasing salt mixture, which attacks and eatsaway the steel tie plate and the holding down spikes. My inventionprovides means for carrying off this salt.

I provide a drainage system across the surface of the space 2. Iillustrate, for example, in Fig. l a pair of gutters or channels I2, I3,the depth of which increases from their inner ends, as at I4, to theirouter or discharge ends, as at I5, `as shown for example in Fig. 3. Theyalso may increase in width, as shown in Fig. 1, which, incidentally, isobtained as a result of the movement of a cutter, for example a rotarycutter, along an axis generally parallel with the rail and inclinedsomewhat in relation Ito the plane surface 2.

It will be understood, of course, lthat the size, shape and number ofthe gutters I2, I3 may be AWidely varied. I illustrate, for example inFig.

4, two such gutters at each side of the tie. Their .distance ofpenetration may also be, Varied, as

shown in Fig. 5, where the gutters I2, I3 practically meet at the centerof the tie, as at I6.

In practice my method is applicable both to In dealing with new ties thegutters I2, I3, for example, may be cut by any suitable rotary cutterimmediately after or even before the surface 2 is adzed or planed oif,and the new tie, with the gutters, can be laid in the usualmanner. Whenrail is being re-laid on old ties, any suitable adzing or cutting meansmay be employed for re-dressing or re-cutting the surface 2, andthereafter a cutter may be moved along one rail, which provides alongitudinal guidance, and the cutter may be moved along a slightlyinclined path in order to cut a gutter which has some such slope as isshown in Fig. 3. The new rail is then laid on the treated half of theties, `and after the old rail is removed from the other end of the tiesthe same practice is carried on, and as a result the old ties are modi-`lied in situ to conform to my invention, as above described and shown.

It will be realized that, whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative embodiment of my invention and the method for carrying itout, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, numberand disposition of parts and in the details and steps of such methodwithout departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish mydescription and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative ordiagrammatic, rather than as limiting me to my precise showing.

The importance of my device of course does not come into play until thetie plate has initially sunk into the tie. Prior to that time drainagepresents no problem but when, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the platehas taken its initial set and penetrated slightly into the body of thetie, water then is dammed up by the walls of impression made by theplate in the tie and it is then that the necessity for drainage becomes.most acute. Under these circumstances the wa- `what I am primarilyconcerned with is the rapid removal or drainage of water from the spaceI refrigerator cars.

about or beneath the tie plate, I may provide for the water flow by avariety of means. I may, for example, as shown in Fig. 3A, cut away theedge of the clapped or surfaced portion 2 to prevent the formation of awater-retaining wall along the edges of such surface when the tie platebegins to sink in. This cutaway portion is indicated, for example, at 2ain Fig. 3A, and may be employed either with or without the drainagegutters or channels I2, I3, in order to permit the rapid escape of Waterfrom beneath the tie plate.

The drainage gutters or channels I2, I3 are of great value in assistingin the removal of salt present in the salt water or brine dropped fromWhere my drainage gutters are employed rain tends to dissolve and carryaway whatever salt has previously accumulated. This elimination of thesalt prolongs the life and full holding strength of the spikes and thesupporting strength of the tie plates.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide means for preventing the softening of ties by the prolongedpresence of water at the surface beneath the tie plate, and for therebypreventing an uneven sinking of tie plates. After a rain storm new tiesdrain better than old ties, and the period during which the tie issoftened is consequently shorter. By providing drainage for all ties,new and old, this differentiation is greatly reduced, the life of theindividual tie is greatly increased, and the necessity of leveling andtamping, with consequent labor cost. is greatly reduced.

I have illustrated the provision of gutters or drain channels I2, I3,and also the cutting away of the edge of the dapped portion of the tie2, as at 2a, in order to drain out water from beneath the tie plate.Inspection of the ties indicates that the ties decay faster around andadjacent to the spikes. Hence the importance of drying as fast aspossible the area beneath the tie plate `in order to prevent softeningor decaying along drainage spaces underlying the tie plate and inclineddownwardly and outwardly toward the `edges of the tie, the lower wallsof said drainage spaces being out of contact with any part of the tieplate.

2. In combination, a tie and a tie plate, and means for securing the tieplate in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate beinggenerally plane, the surface of the tie upon which the tie plate restsbeing cut away to form one or more cpen drainage passages underlying the`plate and 'inclined downwardly and outwardly toward the edges of thetie. the lower walls of said ydrainage passageior passages being out ofcontact with any part of the tie plate.

3. In combination, a tie and a tie plate. Vand means for securing thetie plate` in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate being.generally plane, the surface of the tie upon which the `tie plate restsbeing cut away to form one or more Vopen drainage passages underlyingthe plate and inclined downwardly and outwardly toward the edges of thetie, said passage or pas` sages being generally perpendicular to theside of the tie, the lower walls of said drainage passage or passagesbeing out of contact with any part of the tie plate.

4. In combination, a tie and a tie plate, and means for securing the tieplate in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate beinggenerally plane, the surface of the tie upon which the tie plate restsbeing cut away to form one or more open drainage passages underlying thetie plate and extending outwardly toward the edge or edges of the tie,said passage or passages increasing in depth and in width progressivelytoward the edge of the tie plate, the lower walls of said drainagepassage or passages being out of contact with any part of the tie plate.

5. In combination, a tie and a tie plate, and means for securing the tieplate in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate beinggenerally plane, the surface of the tie overlain by the tie plate havingformed therein one or more drainage channels extending to the edge oftie plate and tie, the walls of said channels being spaced downwardlybelow the overlying surface of the tie plate and being out of contactwith any portion of the tie plate.

6. In combination, a tie and a tie plate, and means for securing the tieplate in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate beinggenerally plane, the surface of the tie overlain by the tie plate havingformed therein one or more drainage channels extending to the edge ofthe tie plate and tie, the walls of said channels being spaceddownwardly below the overlying surface of the tie plate and being out ofcontact with any portion of the tie plate, said channels increasing incross sectional area outwardly toward their discharge ends.

"1. The method of forming a drainage seat for a tie plate which includescutting in the surface of the tie a plane surfaced seat, forming in saidplane surfaced seat one or more drainage channels extending outwardly tothe edge of the tie, and securing a plane bottomed tie plate upon theplane surfaced seat of the tie, with said tie plate overlying saiddrainage channel or channels, and the bottom surface of the tie plateout of contact with the walls of said channel or channels.

8. In combination, a tie and a tie plate, and means for securing the tieplate in relation to the tie, the bottom of the tie plate beinggenerally plane, the surface of the tie upon which the tie plate restsbeing cut away to form an open drainage space underlying the tie plateand inclined downwardly and outwardly toward an edge of the tie, theportion of the tie defining the lower part of said drainage space beingout of contact with any part of the tie plate.

WILLIAM A. MOBERLY.

